Ingestive behavior of lambs fed with guava agro-industrial waste ( Psidium guajava )

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of guava agro-industrial waste (GAW) on the ingestive behavior of Santa Inês lambs. Forty non-castrated sheep of the Santa Inês breed were used, at an initial weight of 21.33 ± 2.62 kg, and at the age of 120 days, distributed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and fed with increasing GAW levels (0.0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.5 and 30.0%). The average daily gain (ADG) showed orthogonal contrast (P <0.05), in which the animals that ingested the control diet had lower performances. The animals with GAW added to the diet obtained more significant weight gains reflected by a better feed conversion. Among the variables, idleness, feeding, and total chewing time had a significant effect (P<0.05); animals spent more time idle at the 30.0% inclusion level and less time in the control group. However, the means of the 7.5, 15.0, and 22.5% GAW inclusion levels were statistically similar to the control group and the 30.0% level. There was a significant effect (P<0.05) on feed efficiency, with the lowest values being presented for the control group and the highest values at the 30% inclusion level of GAW. The 30.0% GAW feed for lambs in confinement reduces feed time, and total chewing prolongs idleness and increases feed efficiency without compromising dry matter intake, neutral detergent fiber intake, and ADG.

Mesenchymal Stem cells in the context of canine atopic dermatitis: A Review

ABSTRACT Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease and has a high frequency among dermatological diseases. The interaction of genetic factors, skin and environmental conditions affect the expression of the disease, developing a complex pathology. Current multimodal treatment has numerous adverse effects and variations in its efficacy and safety, demonstrating the need to develop safe and effective therapeutic resources for patients with CAD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells, with special characteristics, such as self-renewal, immunomodulatory properties, and de-differentiation, making them useful for several clinical problems. The discovery of the immunosuppressive effect of MSCs on T cells has opened the potential for new perspectives with its use as a therapeutic agent for immune diseases, such as CAD. The scarce number of research using the MSC as a treatment for CAD result in the lack of knowledge about the benefits and possible protocols to be followed for the use of this cell therapy. In this review, we highlighted the clinical studies and potential biological mechanisms of MSC-based cell therapy effects attenuating canine atopic dermatitis compared to conventional treatment, which might lead to a safe improvement of the animal’s clinical condition in a short period without causing adverse effects.

Subproduct of the Wine Industry to Replace Forage for Feeding Confined Ovine

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ingestive behavior of sheep receiving alternative food with grape pomace to replace roughage, as well as its impacts on the rumen environment. It was observed that BU had higher TOC, TRAM and pH of the ruminal liquid, while there was less TRU (P < 0,05). As for the other parameters, no significant differences were found. In this study, just as the feeding time was not influenced due to the similarity of the concentrate: roughage ratio in the diet, the protozoan count did not change. This finding reinforces the possibility of using grape marc as a tool for formulating feed, reducing the risk of ruminal disturbances. It was observed that the group control had lower TRAM, indicating that the diet of this group promoted greater microbial activity and, consequently, greater digestibility, corroborating the already observed TOC. This result was the opposite of what was expected, since the grape pomace has probiotic properties, precisely because the fruits have more fungi and bacteria in their microbiota. This also confirms that the co-products of vitiviniculture can act as promoters of the intestinal health of ruminants, justifying further studies in order to improve this use. Therefore, the use of wine by-products is an alternative to reduce production costs, as its use in diets for confined sheep can improve the performance of the animals, increasing the total feed consumption and improving microbial activity.

Dry matter intake and ruminal fermentation parameters in goats fed sugarcane in replacement of corn silage

ABSTRACT The trial was conducted with the objective to evaluate fresh sugarcane as a replacement for corn silage on dry matter intake, ruminal parameters (pH, short chain fatty acids, and ammonia nitrogen concentration), and degradation kinetics of forages and concentrate in maintenance adult goats. Four nonlactating ruminally cannulated goats were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with the replacement of 0, 33, 67, and 100% of corn silage by sugarcane as the independent variable. The substitution of sugarcane for corn silage did not affect dry matter intake, daily weight gain, or ruminal pH. A quadratic effect was observed for ammonia nitrogen concentration with a maximum concentration at 74.43% of sugarcane inclusion, as well as for short chain fatty acids, with maximum concentrations of acetate and butyrate at 0.59 and 32.70% of sugarcane inclusion, respectively. The minimum concentration of propionate was verified on 10.36% of sugarcane inclusion. However, the acetate:propionate ratio linearly decreased with increased sugarcane content. No effect was observed of different rumen environments on forage dry matter and neutral detergent fiber degradability (effective and potential degradability, soluble and potential degradable fractions). Dry matter degradability was 66.79% for sugarcane and 72.62% for corn silage after 96 h of incubation. Neutral detergent fiber was 37.10 and 51.82% for sugarcane and corn silage, respectively, after 96 h of incubation. In conclusion, sugarcane can be used as a replacement for corn silage in maintenance adult goats feed without altering dry matter intake and forage degradability while increasing propionate production.

Phosphorus fertilization in the implantation of a silvopastoral system: morphogenic and structural characteristics of Mombaça grass

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of phosphate fertilization on morphogenic and structural characteristics of Mombasa grass under conditions of implantation of silvopastoral system with eucalyptus and monoculture in the Amazon/Cerrado ecotone. The experiment was conducted at UFT-EMVZ during the rainy seasons of the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 agricultural years. The experimental area was subdivided into two cultivation systems, Mombaça grass monoculture, with 0.25 hectare and silvopastoral system, intercropping eucalyptus with Mombaça grass, with 0.75 hectare area. The design used was a 4 x 2 factorial IHD with four doses of phosphorus (0; 50; 100; 200 kg.ha -1 P2O5 year-1) and two cultivation systems (monoculture and silvopastoral) with three repetitions. Three cycles were evaluated for an average rest period of 21 days. Weekly measurements were taken to evaluate structural and morphogenic characteristics of plants. In general, factors tested such as phosphorus fertilization, cultivation system and year (implantation and following year) showed influence, altering the development of Mombaça grass, reflecting on the morphogenic and structural characteristics. Tiller population density, crop growth rate, leaf area index showed interactions between phosphorus fertilization and the cultivation systems analyzed (P <0.05). Phosphorus fertilization used in the implantation, moment of greatest requirement of the plant, influenced forage development by increasing the crop growth rate, leaf appearance, as well as leaf and stem elongation in the two evaluated systems.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation improves erythrocytic recovery and productive performance of infected by gastrointestinal parasites

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a vitamin and mineral complex, associated with the application of an efficient anthelmintic, in parasitized lambs, with characteristic signs of gastrointestinal nematode infection, on hematological clinical parameters of clinical improvementand weight gain. 60 lambs Australian Merino breed, with 8 and 9 months of age, were segregated in four groups: control (no supplemetation); formula 1 (Iron Dextran, Organic Phosphorus, Cyanocobalamin and Vitamin k); formula 2 (Iron Dextran, Organic Phosphorus and Cyanocobalamin); and formula 3 (Vitamin k). Hematocrit, prothrombin time, total plasma proteins, color of the conjunctiva and weight gain were analyzed. The results were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) through the repeated measures test. There was no statistical difference between treatments for the variables of hematocrit (P = 0.564), prothrombin time (P = 0.911) and plasma proteins (P = 0.6), for the conjunctiva color variable there was a difference (P = 0.052 ), with greater results for the groups supplemented with Vitamin K, Butafosfan, Cyanocobalamin and Iron (groups F1 and F3), as well as those same groups reached higher body weight at D35 (P = 0.023). It can be concluded that the administration of vitamin and mineral complex, associated with efficient anthelmintic, promoted a better performance in parasitized lambs.

Gas exchange, chemical composition and productive characteristics of tropical grasses deferred II: cultivars BRS Paiaguás and BRS Piatã

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the physiological parameters, the productive characteristics, structural and chemical composition of Urochloa Brizantha cultivars BRS and BRS Piatã submitted to two deferment periods and three using times. The experimental design was randomized complete block design in a factorial scheme 2 x 2 x 3, being two grass cultivars (Paiaguás grass and Piatã grass), two deferment periods (rainy season and dry-rainy transition) and three sealing times (40, 80 and 120 days). It was observed that, in the rainy season, the grasses had higher leaf transpiration rate when used for 40 days of deferment (1.66 µmol m2/s). During the rainy season, the Stomatal conductance was detected only in the grasses used with shorter seal, with an average of 0.07 µmol m2/s. In contrast, in the period of transition, the concentration decreased to 0.02 µmol m2/s. In a general way, the BRS Paiaguás presented lower content of NDF. The shorter cycle provided greater biomass production of total forage during the period of rain, approximately 2.78 times more than the same pasture grass deferred during the transition period. Generally, the periods of deferment and moments of use cause effects on structural characteristics of pasture, being that the period of deferment of the transition period and used for 40 and 80 days may be a strategy for keeping animals in critical periods.

Influence of season and external morphology on thermal comfort and physiological responses in bulls from two breeds adapted to a subtropical climate

ABSTRACT Animals in subtropical regions can be exposed to periods of thermal stress. Locally adapted breeds are especially important in this context, but these have little information available in their natural environments. The aim of this study was to assess whether season affects thermal comfort and physiological responses to increased temperatures of two breeds of bulls in a subtropical climate. Four Angus and four Crioulo Lageano bulls were used in this study. Body and testicles measurements, skin pigmentation and thickness, hair number, length and pigmentation, respiratory rate, panting score, rectal temperature and haematological profile were recorded on three occasions in summer and winter, morning and afternoon. The surface temperature of the flank, eye and scrotum were obtained by infrared thermography. Hair coat colour was determined by CIELAB method. Thermal comfort indexes were calculated from meteorological data. Statistical analysis included analyses of variance, correlations and a partial least squares regression in determining which traits were the most important in thermal adaptability. External morphology of the bulls was important for explaining physiological changes in both seasons, but their contribution was greater in summer. Bulls experienced moderate heat stress in summer, which led to significant physiological responses, which were more pronounced in Angus bulls. The main differences in thermal adaptation found between breeds were the hair coat characteristics and respiratory rate. Despite using different mechanisms to cope with environmental challenges, all bulls were able to maintain optimal testicular thermoregulation as well as systemic normothermia throughout the seasons, showing good adaptation to the climate conditions.

Acute response of refeeding in tambaqui submitted to long-term fasting

ABSTRACT This study aimed evaluate energetic mobilization in tambaqui submitted to fasting, after a one-day refeeding. 120 tambaqui juveniles were distributed in 12 310L polyethylene boxes. Three treatments were evaluated: Control (14 days of feeding); Fasting for 14 days; and Refeeding (13 days fasting and one day of feedback). After the experimental period, the fish were anesthetized with eugenol for blood collection and serum and plasma were used to measure glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and serum protein. Subsequently, fish were euthanized to remove liver and mesenteric fat and were used to determine hepatic glycogen and lipid and mesenteric fat index. The results were submitted to ANOVA and the means compared by Tukey test when statistical significance was observed (P <0.05). Glucose, triglycerides and serum protein decreased after fasting, differing statistically with the control. Refeeding resulted in the recovery of three blood indicators. Liver analysis shows glycogen was consumed intensely during fasting and partially recovered after refeeding, when compared to control group. The results obtained in this study suggest that the 14-day fast was not harmful to the fish and the tambaqui are able to quickly adjust their metabolism according to their nutritional status.

In vitro degradation dynamics of neutral detergent fiber and silage quality of waste from production of heart of palm of peach palm

ABSTRACT The objective of the present work was to evaluate the chemical composition, fermentation profile, and degradation parameters of the neutral detergent fiber of three silages made with the waste from production of heart of peach of palm, which consisted of leaf, leaf sheath, and their compound (55% leaf and 45% leaf sheath). The waste was packed in experimental silos and open after sixty days of fermentation; silage samples were collected for determination of chemical composition and degradation parameters of neutral detergent fiber at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 h of incubation in vitro. A difference was detected in the dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin contents between the three types of silage. The leaf silage showed a higher fractional degradation rate and a higher potentially digestible fraction of neutral detergent fiber over the 96 h of incubation. As for the fermentative parameters, silage made with the leaf showed a higher pH (3,79) and lactic acid (1,18%), acetic acid (0,39%) and propionic acid (0,24%). The butyric acid was higher for compound silage (0,012%) and ammoniacal nitrogen was higher for sheath silage (0,94%). The leaf silage displayed better chemical characteristics, fermentation parameters and in vitro degradability properties, proving to be the silage with best nutritional value for feeding ruminants.